My Top 3 Songs Plus the People and Stories You Need to Know
Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls turned 30 this year! Diamonds and Pearls was Prince’s 13th studio album and marked his first full album with the New Power Generation. Below, I will tell you all about the album, the New Power Generation, and everything you need to know about my three favorite tracks.
But first… Who is Prince?
I’m not even going to answer that question! If you have to ask, you’re dead inside and I cannot help you. For immediate resuscitation, I suggest you start with the groundbreaking 1984 film and accompanying album/soundtrack, Purple Rain. When you’re done, work your way through his entire catalog and watch every video you can find. There is a lot of ground to cover, but he will make it worth your while.
48 Albums and Counting!
Before his unexpected death in April of 2016, Prince released an incredible 39 albums to his name (some were double and triple albums). Additionally, he released six albums under the bands Madhouse, The New Power Generation, and NPG Orchestra. Then three albums were released posthumously. That’s an amazing 48 albums! So far. There is no telling how much unreleased material he stored in his vault at Paisley Park.
About Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls Album
Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls was released 30 years ago, on October 1, 1991. Like all albums before and after, Prince wrote and produced most of the album himself. Prince’s talent extends far beyond songwriting and producing. Although he has employed backing bands, including The Revolution and NPG for some of his projects, he is well regarded for playing all instruments himself on many of his recording. Diamonds and Pearls marks the first album entirely recorded with his new backing band, The New Power Generation (aka NPG); hence, credited to Prince and the New Power Generation. More on NPG later!
The Singles
Diamonds and Pearls spawned 5 US singles and 1 UK only single:
- “Get Off”
- #21 on Hot 100 and #6 on R&B
- “Cream”
- #1 on Hot 100
- “Insatiable”
- #3 on R&B
- “Diamonds and Pearls”
- #3 on Hot 100, #1 on R&B
- “Money Don’t Matter 2 Night”
- #3 on Hot 100 and #14 on R&B
- “Thunder”
- #28 in the UK only
About NPG
The New Power Generation’s name originally came from the first song of the Lovesexy album (1988), “Eye No”. The New Power Generation was first assembled to contribute a few songs for the Graffiti Bridge album and soundtrack (1990). It included a song titled “New Power Generation,” which was an anthem for the newly formed band. The following album, Diamonds and Pearls, was the first album to be entirely recorded with NPG.
After Diamonds and Pearls, NPG continued their work with these Prince albums:
- Love Symbol (1992)
- One Nite Alone… Live! (2002 live album)
- C-Note (2003 live album)
- Planet Earth (2007).
In 1998 they released Newpower Soul, which was unofficially a Prince album, but on paper, an NPG album. They also contributed to the Blankman soundtrack (1994), Pret-a-Porter soundtrack (1994), Girl 6 soundtrack (1996), Prince’s The Chocolate Invasion and The Slaughterhouse (both 2004), and Prince’s 3121 (2006).
NPG continues to tour today as a Prince tribute band, although their lineup experienced many changes over the years. You can learn more about the New Power Generation on their website, which includes current tour dates.
NPG Fun Fact:
Three original members of NPG joined Nick Jonas to form Nick Jonas and the Administration. They released one album in 2010, Who I Am, and served as the opening act for the Jonas Brothers on several tour dates between 2010 and 2011.
We Need to Talk About Diamond and Pearl!
The videos for my top three songs feature Prince’s muses for the album, Diamond and Pearl, aka Lori Elle and Robia LaMorte, respectively. In an interview, Robia recalls Prince was looking for identical twin muses for his new project. Not being a twin, she auditioned just to dance in the “Cream” video. During rehearsals for the video Prince noticed the two hired dancers looked similar and the rest is history. A one-week dance gig turned into two years working closely with Prince and they became immortalized on the album cover. During the album’s production, Prince began his ugly battle with Warner Brothers Records and he refused to speak directly to the press. Instead, Diamond and Pearl received media training and were enlisted to speak on his behalf.
A similar legal battle between George Michael and Sony Music would break out a few years later.
My Top 3 Songs from Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls
Below I will dive into my Top 3 Songs, along with the stories and people you need to know:
- Get Off
- Cream
- Diamonds and Pearls
“Get Off”
There is no lyrical sleight of hand here. The song is about Prince’s pursuit to get a woman off! He sings about a rumor that she “ain’t been gettin’ served; they say that you ain’t you-know-what in baby who knows how long.” He lets her know that he knows about her dry spell and he’s presenting himself to satisfy her needs. In the second verse he tells her what he heard from her friend, Vanessa Bet; about her fantasy, “Something about a little box with a mirror and a tongue inside,” and it got him so hot.
In the fourth verse he finally gets her to his, “paisley crib,” a reference to his Paisley Park compound. He also humorously references his vegan diet: “Whatcha want to eat? (she responds, ribs) Don’t toy, I don’t serve ribs.” In this verse he also cleverly works in a 1969 song by James Brown called “Mother Popcorn”: “Remind me of something James used to say, ‘I like ‘em fat, I like ‘em proud. Ya gotta have a mother for me.” He then promises her an out-of-world experience, singing, “Tonight you’re a star and I’m the big dipper.”
“Get Off” Production
Released four whole months before the album, Prince intended “Get Off” to be a one-off dance floor thumper. The success of the single prompted its inclusion in Diamonds and Pearls. The song is derived from the evolution and incorporation of a couple of tracks. It originated from multiple remixes of “Glam Slam,” originally from the 1998 album, Lovesexy. Then “New Power Generation” from 1990’s Graffiti Bridge was remixed and incorporated with a “Glam Slam” remix. The concoction was reworked with a shot of new jack swing and eventually became “Get Off.”
“Get Off” Fun Facts:
- Prince’s amazing performance of “Get Off” from the 1991 MTV VMAs was the source of many subsequent spoofs of Prince in ass-less pants.
- Teyena Taylor, Jermaine Fowler, and Brandon Rogers performed a great cover in the film Coming 2 America.
“Cream”
“Cream” is often misinterpreted due to its sexually charged lyrics. It’s not about sex. Prince once joked that he came up with this song “while looking at himself in the mirror.” So, is it about masturbation? Not that, either! The song’s innuendos speak to something else altogether – self empowerment! Hear me out.
Prince throws two idioms (a what?) into the first verse. He sings, “This is it. It’s time for you to go to the wire. You will hit, ‘cause you got the burning desire. It’s your time, you got the horn so why don’t you blow it.” People often mistake this as a reference to oral sex. The first idiom, “to the wire” means to the very end. He’s saying this is your last chance, this is it, now is your time. You have a burning desire to accomplish something and you have to do it right now. “You got the horn so why don’t you blow it” comes from the idiom, “toot your own horn.” To toot your own horn is to be proud and show off your achievements.
Then Prince sings in the chorus, “Cream, get on top. Cream, you will cop. Cream, don’t you stop.” He’s not telling you to get on top and ride him until the cows come home. These lyrics come from the idiom, “cream rises to the top,” which means an ambitious person, or a great idea, will rise for all to notice. And cop, in this instance, means “take”. He’s urging you to take your chance, rise to the top, and keep on going.
His Last #1 Single
“Cream,” Prince’s second single from Diamonds and Pearls, was released in September of 1991. In November of 1991 it held on to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 for two weeks. It was Prince’s last #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100. The single’s B-side, “Horny Pony,”is a rap song that was supposed to be on Diamonds and Pearls. “Horny Pony” was dropped from the album when “Get Off” was added at the last minute.
“Cream” Fun Fact:
Prince’s “Cream” shares musical similarities with T. Rex’s “Get It On” from 1971!
“Diamonds and Pearls”
“Diamonds and Pearls” sounds like a song about showering the object of your affection with lots of expensive jewelry. Prince was certainly capable of such extravagance, but it’s not about that or about him. The actual meaning is the complete opposite. The narrator is a man who doesn’t have money. He is addressing his lover who seems unsatisfied in their relationship. He promises her “I will never run away. I am here for you; love is meant for two, now tell me what you’re gonna do.” Now that he declared his devotion to her, will that be enough to make her happy? If he had the resources, he’d give her diamonds and pearls, “but all can do is just offer you my love.”
Unsung Vocalist, Rosie Gaines
Rosie Gaines, a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, provided vocals on many of the songs on Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls, including the three tracks in this article. Prince discovered Gaines while she was recording her backup vocals for the Pointer Sisters at Paisley Park. Impressed by her talents, Prince persuaded Gaines to join New Power Generation. Before her work with Prince, Gaines released two albums: Caring (1985) and No Sweeter Love (1987). Following her work on the Diamonds and Pearls album and tour, she began recording material for her third album, Concrete Jungle. It was scheduled for a 1994 release on Paisley Park Records, but was shelved during Prince’s battle with Warner Brothers Records.
Gaines salvaged what she could from her shelved project and put together another album, Closer than Close. Released in 1995, it featured two tracks that Prince co-wrote, “I Want U” and “My Tender Heart,” which also features backing vocals by Prince.
Rosie Gaines’s recording career was hampered by a series of delays and shelved albums. For example, Concrete Jungle, which was due in 1994 did not see the light of day until its digital release in 2010. She eventually had to take matters into her own hands. Since Closer than Close, Rosie Gaines released several more albums, singles, and compilations under her own label, Dredlix Records.
In 2015, friends of Rosie Gaines came together to raise funds for the struggling artist. It’s not clear where Gaines is today. If you can believe her Wikipedia page, she returned to the Bay Area to live with her daughter and continues to face physical and mental health issues.
After Diamonds and Pearls
Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls spawned six incredible singles. It’s second single, “Cream” turned out to be Prince’s last number one hit. Although his following albums did not do as well commercially, his popularity never waned. He would go on to release another 26 solo albums, plus an additional four under NPG, and perform in 19 different tours around the world to sold-out crowds before his death in 2016. Posthumously, his estate released two albums of demos and one album of all new material. There’s no telling how much more material will be released from his vault!
If you’re looking to add another (or your first) Prince album to your collection, you cannot go wrong with Diamonds and Pearls. 30 years later, it’s a true classic and is still one of my favorite Prince albums!